Daughter of the Moon
by AquaSakura84
Summary: What if Inuyasha had a sister? Yori of the Moon is tossed into the mortal realm where she's adopted by the the great Lord of the West. After his death she tries to repay his kindness by looking after his two sons. She never expects to fall in love with one of them. She never expects to be the key to taking down one of the greatest evils of their time. Pairing: Sesshomaru and OC
1. Prologue

**Summary:** What if Inuyasha had a sister? Yori of the Moon is tossed into the mortal realm where she's adopted by the the great Lord of the West. After his death she tries to repay his kindness by looking after his two sons. She never expects to fall in love with one of them. She never expects to be the key to taking down one of the greatest evils of their time. Pairing: Sesshomaru and OC

 **Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all of the characters in the Inuyasha franchise.

 **Claimer:** I do hereby claim all characters not included in the Inuyasha franchise that I have created for this fanfiction.

 **Author's note:** This story has been an idea of mine for a long time now. I always loved the idea of filling in the gaps of time that we don't get to see in the show with compelling characters. I also thought it would make sense for Inuyasha to have a sister. I won't spoil anything but our main character plays a huge role in Inuyasha's and Sesshomaru's lives. This story is very organic so I'm just writing how it feel the characters are moving at the time. As the story progresses, I'll have to decide whether or not to include Yori as part of the adventures of the main cast (Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, etc. ) or have her carve out her own life and see where that takes us. This piece is going to be updated on a week by week basis. If you like it let me know and I'll make sure I continue writing or write more frequently. Also, the initial pairing is with Sesshomaru but as the story evolves this may change. :) Thanks for reading.

* * *

 **Prologue:**

The Lord of the West walked up the steps of heaven with a heavy weight on his chest. He never liked being separated from Izayoi and his territory for too long. Especially now that Izayoi was expecting his child. As he trudged up the glimmering granite stairs, his hands clenched at his sides. The stories of the daiyoki Ryūkotsusei were growing in number and the Inu no Taisho was sure he'd have to travel to the Plains of Musashi to deal with the nuisance. Lord Tsukuyomi's summons could not have come at a worse time.

When he reached the gates of heaven, Inu no Taisho allowed himself one deep breath before pushing through the carved stone doors and entering the realm of the God of the Moon. In Tsukuyomi's castle it was always night. Lighting bugs danced over ponds and streams. The trees and flowers glowed from within, their light pulsing as if they had their own small hearts keeping them alive. Shadows touched every surface and beckoned the unsuspecting few to get lost in their darkness. Inu no Taisho followed a path of stone through the middle of the dark garden to Tsukuyomi's throne room. The God of the Moon was known for his love of luxury. The room was covered in silk and glittered with rare gems of all kinds. Beautiful men and women clad in white knelt at the edges of the hall, waiting for their master's command. Tsukuyomi lounged on his throne, the deep blue of his kimono jarringly plain compared to the splendor of the room, his mane of black hair grew straight down to the foot of his throne.

"Ah! The Lord of the West graces us with his presence." The Moon God's voice echoed throughout the hall.

Inu no Taisho bowed, "It is an honor, milord. Your summons was… a surprise."

"Yes well, the reason was a surprise to me, as well." Tsukuyomi pointedly looked at one of his attendant, a dark haired woman with the pointed ears, who was concentrating very hard on the wooden planks of the floor. Inu no Taisho guessed she was a wolf demon from his land. The God of the Moon populated his court with beautiful creatures from all over and was never picky about what kind of beauty he enjoyed, mortal or demon.

"What do you need?"

The Moon God sighed, "I have a dilemma. One of my attendants has been raising a daughter here without my knowledge for some years now. She is the result of an …unfortunate trist of mine a few decades back. She even has my devastating good looks."

"Congratulations. But I'm not sure what that—"

"She can't stay here." Tsukuyomi leveled the Dog General with a hard stare. "Amaterasu moved to a different part of the sky the last time I made her angry. My wife would not take this news well."

Inu no Taisho rubbed the bridge of his nose, wondering if he could dodge the request he was sure Tsukuyomi was asking. "You want me to take her with me."

"She can't survive on her own immediately, she needs guidance. But she's not helpless. She has two swords and attendants of her own. You could let her loose on the mortals for all I care, after you teach her, but she needs to leave. "

"And if I say no?"

Tsukuyomi stood and the weight of his power pressed on the hall. His dark kimono changed to sparkle with stars and galaxies and the black of his hair shown with an eerie blue light. His aura bombarded the Dog General with its power and he was pushed to kneel on one knee.

Tsukuyomi chuckled at the Lord of the West's submission. "Are you willing to risk my wrath for your pride little yokai?"

The Dog General's snarl shook the room but he stayed down. The Moon God watched his struggle with barely concealed glee.

"Your answer?" he asked.

Inu no Taisho strained against the God's powered but was only able to grumble. "Fine."

The Moon God smiled. "Excellent!"

The pressure in the air dissipated immediately and Tsukuyomi sauntered back to his throne. The Black haired god wasn't the least bit remorseful and he waited patiently for the Lord of the West to get to his feet before he began issuing orders to his staff.

Tsukuyomi clapped his hands and a small attendant rushed to his side.

"Bring the girl."

The attendant scurried away into the darkness. Inu no Taisho glared at the capricious deity and clenched his fist to keep from grabbing for his Tessaiga. Tsukuyomi ordered one of his attendants to bring him food and the room grew silent except for the sound Tsukuyomi's chewing.

It wasn't long before the small attendant reappeared with a young woman in tow. The Inu no Taisho blinked. Tsukuyomi was right, the girl had inherited his looks. The girl's hair had to be just as long as her fathers, the black tresses cascaded down her back from her high ponytail. When the light toucher her hair it sparkled like it held millions of stars in each strands. Her dress was simple, like the attendants, but it was the same navy as Tsukuyomi's. Unlike her father, the girl's skin was dark similar to the wolf tribes of the west and instead of bright blue eyes, Tsukuyomi's eyes, hers were a deep brown.

Tsukuyomi stood and held out his hand to his daughter.

"May I present, Lady Yori of the Moon."

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 **Author's Note:** The next chapter starts where the full story begins. Let me know your thoughts.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

"Keep your guard up, Yori!"

The clang of metal on metal rang through the summer glade. Swords clashed together in an intricate dance as the dog and the wolf squared off.

Inu no Taisho brought his blade down on his opponent head. However, Yori was too fast and the great sword hit air before creating a crater in the ground where she had once been.

"Gotta be quicker than that, old man!"

The Dog General grinned. Yori had grown quickly over the past few months. He'd originally been reluctant to take orders from Tsukuyomi but he was happy to admit having her around made life brighter.

Yori charged him, her wakizashi a bright flash at her side. The metal reflected the light of the sun, momentarily blinding Inu no Taisho and he flinched. She took advantage of the distraction and went in for the killing blow, her blade arcing toward his neck. At the last second, Inu no Taisho dropped below Yori's sword and used his legs to knock her to the ground. In one fluid motion, he extended his claws and placed them at her throat.

"Surrender."

Yori growled and turned her face to the side. "That's not fair I had you."

Inu no Taisho laughed. "Not too bad for an 'old man', huh?" He got to his feet and extended a hand to Yori. "Let's go. I think that's enough training for today."

She took the hand and stood, brushing the dirt and grass from her kimono. "Sometimes this feel more dangerous than going to keep some uppity demons in check."

"Milord! Milord!" A small voice chirped from Inu no Taisho's shoulder.

The Lord of the West looked down on his vassel, "Oh, Miyoga! It's good to see you."

"Ahh, thank you, milord." The flea jumped up and down "But we have an urgent matter to deal with!"

"What is it?"

"Ryūkotsusei is back! And he's terrorizing the Plains of Musashi again!"

"Damn it!" The Lord of the West ground his teeth. When no word about Ryūkotsusei came for months, Inu no Taisho assumed the dragon daiyokai had grown bored with his latest acts of terror. Izayoi was due to have the baby any minute and he had no wish to leave her alone when her time came. But Ryūkotsusei needed to be dealt with.

"Miyoga!"

The flea jumped to attention. "Yes, milord?"

"We're leaving."

"Yes, milord!"

The Lord of the West turned, ready to begin his search for the dragon that had become a burr in his fur.

"Wait!" Yori stood in his way, her swords at her sides and her arms out stretched.

"Out of my way, Yori. We can continue your training when I return."

"But why can't I come with you?"

"Because you aren't ready."

She glared, "I am ready! All I do is train with you! I can help."

Yori held out both her sword to him. The hilts were both black but that's where the similarities ended. Her katana was pure darkness, and her wakizashi pure light.

"I pledge my life in service to you, milord." She said the words gravely, "And in the service of all your descendants."

"You know who you are, Yori. That pledge is no more than words."

"It means more than words to me." Yori put the swords back in their sheaths then looked up at the man she had come to love like a father. "Tsukuyomi cast me out! Heaven is not my place, anymore. This is! Let me protect it."

Inu no Taisho examined the half-god, half-wolf demoness who was the young woman before him. He admitted his reluctance to test her had been more from his own fear than from her inability. Yori was a powerful warrior and still had many powers he did not fully understand. But she was still young. The ways of the moral realm still confused and amazed her a times. She was smart but innocent in a way that made him hesitate when danger arose. Yori had become part of his family and if he could lock her and Izayoi in a castle somewhere far away, he would do it. If only to keep them safe.

The fire in Yori's eyes told him that she would never be content to be protected and the Inu no Taisho knew he could not deny her spirit its need to fight. It was the same need he had.

The Lord of the West looked away from his adopted daughter, "Very well. " He sniffed, "You may stay and protect Izayoi."

Yori opened her mouth to protest but Inu no Taisho glared at her. "This is not debatable. If you want to fight, fight to protect. Protect my family. Our Family."

She looked down. "Yes, milord."

Then Inu no Taisho ran past her into the forest, leaving Yori alone to make her way to Izayoi's castle.

"Stubborn, old man."


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

"Do you need anything, milady?" Yori sat down next to the Lady Izayoi in the garden as the sun began to set behind the castle walls. Izayoi's swollen belly was barely noticeable under her extravagant kimono but Yori had seen the strain on the older woman's face when they walked outside. The Inu no Taisho had been gone for two weeks and Izayoi insisted on waiting for him in the garden at every days end, hoping for his safe return.

"No thank you. I'm alright." Izayoi let the light of the sun warm her face and stared at the horizon. Maybe today would be the day?

It was during these quiet times that Yori allowed herself to relax. She pulled her dark hair from its pony tail and stretched her arms to the sky. Living in the mortal realm was so different from living in her father's castle. Tsukuyomi's realm was always shrouded in darkness. Some shadows were inviting warm and safe. Others threatened the hold one kept on reality. Her mother used to tell her stories of the mortal realm. _The sun shines for half the day and the moon the other half. Nothing is the same, everything changes_. Originally, going to a place where the moon shared the sky, terrified her. Darkness was all she'd ever known. But laying in the grass with the sun overhead had quickly become one of her favorite ways to spend the day.

"Yori?" Izayoi brushed her arm lightly, trying to get her attention.

"Yeah?"

Izayoi smiled and went back to watching the sunset. "It's such a nice day. Do you think Akira and Kage would like to join us?"

Yori shrugged and pulled her swords free of their sheaths. The aura around each sword began to glow and separate from the metal. The glow extended and shaped itself into a form next to each sword. From the wakizashi a silver fox materialized and padded over to Yori's side. From the katana, a large black wolf emerged from the blade and stretched in the sun.

"At least someone thought of us." Akira curled into a ball at Izayoi's feet, the sun glittering off his silver fur.

Kage yawned and looked out at the horizon. "Don't complain. We're lucky to be out at all."

Akira snorted. "Lucky isn't the word I'd use." He pushed the wakizashi aside with his tail. "I'm still bound to this hunk of metal."

"You're such a sore loser." Yori growled. Before she came down from heaven Tsukuyomi forced her to seal two spirits into her favorite weapons as extra protection. It was a simple spell for a demi-god and the dark realms of heaven were full of strong spirits to fight and bind. She'd battle both Akira and Kage in the shadows of her father's realm before binding them to her swords. They acted as her comrades in battle, her attendants, and her friends, when they were in the mood.

Akira huffed and curled his tail over his nose, attempting to doze in the warmth of the afternoon.

Izayoi chuckled. "You three are adorable."

The wind picked up and scattered flower petals around the garden. The heavy perfume of the summer blossoms filled the air, but another smell weaved its way amongst the scents of rose and lily. Yori sniffed the air, trying to pin point the scent. Where had she smelled it before?

"Milady!" Kage said and she turned her nose in the direction of a distinctive looking cloud floating over the castle. The cloud descended into the forest to the west and disappeared behind the trees.

Yori stood up and sniffed the air again. "See what he wants."

The black wolf shook herself before bounding over the castle wall and into the forest.

Izayoi watched the young woman with fascination. When her beloved had brought Yori back from heaven, the girl wouldn't say more than two words to her. The open relaxation the women shared now had been hard won over the last few months. The caution and sadness that tinged their earlier interaction was replaced by the warmth and acceptance as Yori found her place in the mortal realm. The Inu no Taisho had warned her about the unchecked power that Yori commanded and in these moments Izayoi could see it. The aura of power that blazed up and rivaled the sun with its intensity.

Kage jumped back into the garden, leaves falling of her coat into the surrounding ponds.

"He wishes to speak to you." She panted, her muzzle hanging open from her sprint through the forest.

Yori snorted and plopped back down next to Izayoi. "Ha. I'm not at his beck and call. Tell Lord High and Mighty he can take his summons and—"

Izayoi smiled. "How long have you loved him?"

"I –I don't!" Yori felt the blood rush to her face, "He's arrogant and self-centered."

"So you're perfect for each other." Akira chimed in.

Yori growled and picked the silver fox up by his scruff. "Hey Kage, you hungry? I just found you a snack." She dangled Akira in the air and Kage playfully licked her lips.

The small fox panicked. "Hey! Hey! I was just joking! Don't let her eat me!"

"You probably wouldn't taste good anyway." The black wolf huffed then settled down to rest in the grass. Yori continued to tease Akira, poking him in the stomach and threatening death by wolf, until Izayoi started laughing.

"All this because of Sesshomaru?" she beckoned Yori closer and touched her cheek with gentle hands. "You should go see him."

"But milady—"

Izayoi shook her head. "You shouldn't put these things off. Life changes too quickly to waste opportunities."

"I can't just leave you." Yori protested, thinking of her promise to the Inu no Taisho.

"It's only for a little while and Akira can look after me."

"But…"

Izayoi stood up, wobbling a little with extra weight of her pregnancy. "I'll be inside." She said, then looked at the fox at her feet. "Akira, I have some of your favorite candies in my rooms." Then the older woman waddled away back into the castle, Akira at her side. Yori watched them until they disappeared inside.

The sky had gone dark since they'd come outside, the last rays of sunshine hidden behind the large stone castle walls. She wanted to see Sesshomaru, more than she should. Her feelings were things she kept to herself, swaddled in her heart for no one else to see. Yori knew it wasn't rational, loving him. He cared very little for non-demons. Her compassion toward humans perplexed him, and her God heritage did little to impress him. At most he thought of her as quick access to his father. She was a means to an end, nothing more. But still… The thought of glimpsing his face, even if he looked at her with contempt, compelled her to make a decision.

"Let's go Kage."

Yori ran for the forest, vaulting over the castle wall and landing in the soft undergrowth on the other side. Kage followed close on her heels and Yori shot into the forest, following the sweet cloying scent that hung around Sesshomaru. Almost there…

The smell grew steadily stronger until Yori skidded to a halt in a small clearing. A large rock sat in the middle of the area and Sesshomaru leaned against its side. The young daiyokai glanced at Yori with sharp gold eyes.

"You took your time. " His voice was cold but it thrilled her.

Yori's heart jumped and she was sure it wasn't from running.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

"What do you want?" Yori barked. Being around Sesshomaru put her on edge. His scent was an intoxicating cloud that drifted across the empty space between them and beckoned Yori closer. Nothing about how she felt made sense. Even at their first meeting Yori was drawn to Sesshomaru. Maybe it was because he looked like his father, maybe it was because he kept her at a distance, unlike his father. No matter how drawn she was, there was a wall between them, a wall that Yori couldn't overcome on her own. But Sesshomaru was in no hurry to open up to her. His stubbornness annoyed her and made all their interactions vaguely hostile.

Sesshomaru glared at her. "Watch your tone, girl."

"Bite me." Yori leaned against a nearby tree, hiding in the shadows. "I don't have time for an etiquette lesson. Why am I hear, Sesshomaru?"

"Where is my father?"

Yori twirled a bit of her hair around her finger while she watched the way Sesshomaru's scarf of fur danced in the wind. "He left a few weeks ago. Didn't he tell you?"

"No."

"Ahh. That's a shame. Well if that's all I should go—"

"Where did he go?"

Yori snorted, "If he didn't tell you then there's a reason why. You can wait till he gets back. "

"Are you refusing to tell me what I want to know?" The ice in his voice was telling. A lesser person would have fled or caved instantly to his demands, but Yori was unfazed. Sesshomaru was predictable in how he dealt with insubordination and Yori found a perverse level of pleasure in pushing the young Lord of the West's buttons.

"Don't growl at me. It's not my fault the Inu no Taisho didn't trust you." Yori yawned. "I need to get back to Lady Izayoi. Come on, Kage." Yori started to head back toward the castle, when Kage's growl echoed through the clearing. Yori turned her back and Sesshomaru blasted toward her. His hand latched onto her neck and he through her into the boulder. The stone cracked under her, dirt and pebbles scattering into the grass. Kage ran to Yori's aid and stood over her with her teeth bared and gleaming in the dim light.

Sesshomaru took a step toward them and Kage snarled, her hackles up. "Stay back!"

"Insignificant dog." He flexed his claws, ready to strike at the large wolf in his way.

Yori quickly stood, brushing the dirt off her kimono and moving in front of Kage. "Leave her be, Sesshomaru."

The poison on his claws dripped into the grass as he moved toward her, leaving a path of death in his wake. "As you wish."

He struck, his claws aimed at Yori's impassive face. The world slowed down as Yori enjoyed the smell of him and the heat coming off of his body as he came closer. Letting him attack her was the only way she could get close to him. Letting him throw her was the only way she could get him to touch her. The pain was fleeting and Yori was durable, but the feel of him would stay with her for weeks to come. Lady Izayoi was right, things changed constantly in mortal realm but Yori knew that nothing would make Sesshomaru love her. So she did the only thing she could do. She fought back.

Deflecting his hand was easy and he wasn't expecting it. She knocked it out of the way right before it could hit her face, then she ducked down and jabbed at his rib cage with her free hand. The blow sent him flying into a nearby tree. Leaves rained down as the Yori and Sesshomaru squared off.

Sesshomaru looked at his hand then glared. "What a nuisance."

"That's enough!" She matched his glare with her own. "I don't have time for this."

Suddenly, a silver fox rushed out of the forest calling her name. "Yori!" Akira yelped.

Dread settled into Yori's stomach. "What's wrong? Why aren't you with the Lady?

"Lady Izayoi's in labor!" Akira turned around and sprinted back to the castle.

Yori glanced at Sesshomaru, "We can continue this later."

She ran after Akira then looked over her shoulder at Sesshomaru. He snorted in contempt and walked back into the forest. Yori kept running and tried to push her feelings back down to the darkest recesses of her heart.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

Yori dashed through the halls leading to Izayoi's rooms, sweat trickling down her face and into her eyes. Izayoi's cries of pain were like a siren going off in Yori's head. _I gotta hurry._ The halls were completely empty, but everything smelled like human. Yori doubted that she'd be able to tell if there were any other humans, besides Izayoi, present. In heaven all creatures held unique scents because Tsukuyomi rarely had more than one of each in his employ. In the mortal realm, the scent of human was overpowering and made picking out unfamiliar individuals difficult. Yori tried to focus on the light Sakura smell of Lady Izayoi as she pushed forward. She was one room away, Yori could see the Lady lying on her back in the middle of the room, her kimono spread out around her. Izayoi screwed her face up in pain and cried out. "Yori!"

"I'm here!" Yori reached a hand toward the older woman but she slammed into an invisible wall and flew backwards, knocking into Kage and falling into a heap of legs and wolf.

"What the hell?" The palm of her hand sizzled as it healed and Yori flinched as she tried to move it. The air above the threshold shimmered in the dim light then went back to normal.

Kage nudged Yori back to her feet. "What is it?"

Akira watched the movement of magic around the threshold and followed it around the room where all four walls experienced the same light changes.

He sniffed. "It's a barrier."

Yori flexed her injured hand, "But why is it here? I didn't place one, and it wasn't here when we left.

"Someone wants to keep us away from the Lady."

Kage growled, "I smell a miko."

"A what?" Yori's confusion betrayed how little she knew about the mortal realm.

Kage stared at the left wall, the one that led to outside, intently, "Divine women who have a knack for being a pain in the ass."

Yori could still see Izayoi writhing in pain on the floor through the barrier. A sharp pain lanced through her chest every time the older woman screamed. "How do we get rid of it?"

"Distract the miko." Kage's fur bristled, "Or kill her."

"Can you do it? Do you know where she is?" Yori was growing frantic, how long could Izayoi last without her help? She'd learned all she could from local midwife just in case she couldn't be here for the birth. Now it looked like her preparations were in vain because of the barrier. Would she have to sit back and watch as Lady Izayoi died?

Kage shook her head, "I can't get to her from here but I can smell her." She padded over to the left wall and growled. "I can feel her presence…She's here. The best I can do is call down a pack. They could distract her long enough for us to break the barrier."

Yori nodded. "Do it."

Kage lifted her head and let out a piercing howl that echoed through the castle. The sound rattled the walls and traveled on the wind from the castle grounds and into the night. Yori counted ten heart beats before she heard an answering chorus of howls come from the west.

Akira snorted. "Show off."

"They should be here soon. I called the fastest pack in the area."

Yori watched Izayoi through the barrier and clenched her fists at her sides. "I hate being useless."

Movement from Izayoi's room caught Yori's eye. A dark figure, covered in armor, sauntered from the shadows, a long pike in hand. His face was familiar but the shifting shadows thrown by the candle light made it impossible for Yori to tell who he was.

"Lady Izayoi?" Something wasn't right. Dread made Yori press up against the barrier but she flinched as it burned her skin.

The figure kept moving closer and closer to the laboring woman on the floor. Izayoi looked up and smiled at the man. "Takemaru? Oh thank goodness you're here. Gather the men and leave the castle at once. My time is coming and he will be here soon."

He? Yori sniffed the air and felt relief flood over her. Inu no Taisho! The scent was weak after being carried miles by the wind but he was close. Maybe he could get there in time!

Takemaru knelt next to the Lady and whispered softly. "I have always loved you, my lady, even after I found out that your heart was taken by a demon."

The stranger raised his pike and brought it down into Izayoi's stomach. Her scream stopped Yori's heart and she stood in shock at the scene before her. Blood sprayed out of the wound, covering the room and staining the Lady's kimono as it pooled on the floor. Takemaru stood up and left the room, never looking back at the life he left mangled and dying behind him.

"Izayoi!" Yori through herself against the barrier, ignoring the searing pain that lanced up her arms and legs. "Izayoi!" The older woman smiled weakly in Yori's direction, as she struggled to breathe.

Izayoi reached out a hand toward the moon. The lunar eclipse had begun and a dark shadow inched its way across the moon's surface. With her final breaths she whispered, "My dearest." As the life drained from her body.

"Izayoi!" Tears streamed down Yori's face. "No!"

Over the sound of Yori's tears, a baby's wail rang out. Then, another voice rose into the night and the world shook with power.

"Wind Scar!"


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

The power of the blast knocked through the outer castle walls and all the guards in the way. Moments later fire arrows rained down on the remaining buildings, setting the castle ablaze.

The smell of blood mixed with the slowly rising smoke and Yori covered her nose against the fumes. A cacophony of howls pierced the night on the other side of the north wall followed by a woman's scream. The magic keeping the trio trapped in the room dissipated.

Kage grinned, "The miko is down."

Yori dashed into Izayoi's room and knelt next to the woman's body. The puddle of blood soaked into her kimono and Yori could feel the tears making trails down her face. Humans died differently than demons and spirits. Spirits were already dead, they simply got moved to a different plane for a while. Demons writhed and fought as they died and then disintegrated into nothing. Humans just lay there, the remnants of their souls shinning like stars in their eyes. The absence of those souls made the world darker and the space around the vacant body like a black hole that sucked all around it into a swirling void. Yori couldn't help being sucked in.

The flames penetrated the inner rooms and began to lick up the walls, igniting everything. The warmth of the fire buffeted Yori's face but she couldn't make herself move from Izayoi's side. In the back of her mind she was barely able to make out the cry of a baby.

Akira jumped over the body and nuzzled the small wailing bundle. "He looks just like Inu no Taisho."

Kage nudged Yori in her side. "Get up. We can't stay here."

Yori stood and picked up the baby. His small white ears twitched as he cried and, even though he was just born, his hair was long and white.

"He's so cute." Yori whispered as she shushed him.

"Izayoi!" The Lord of the West's roar echoed through the castle. Then he was there, pushing past the flames to Izayoi's body. He pulled Tensaiga from its sheath. "Move."

Yori, Kage and Akira scrambled away from the body and watched as the Dog General's sword began to glow. Yori had listened to Inu no Taisho when he explained the powers his swords held. She had never seen him use both in the same battle before. The eerie cold that seeped into the air when he used Tensaiga's power was stifling. But if what he said was true he would be able to save Lady Izayoi.

"Carry out my will, Tensaiga." Inu no Taisho sliced at the air around Izayoi's body. A few moments later the body began to breathe.

Yori rushed to the older woman's side. "My Lady!"

Inu no Taisho helped Izayoi to her feet. "Are you alright?"

"Yes." Izayoi smiled at Yori, "May I see him?" She held out her arms and Yori placed the baby in them. The clang of armor alerted them to another presence in the burning room. A bleeding Takemaru shuffled in, holding his sword at the ready. Kage and Akira growled, their hackles raised.

Inu no Taisho pushed Yori and Izayoi behind him. "Yori, get them out of here."

Yori nodded. "Kage can get them past the walls. I'll take out the remaining soldiers and try to keep the building up."

"No."

"Wh-What?" Yori pushed out from behind his arm. "I'm not leaving you."

"Damn it, Yori, there's no time! Take this and Go!" He held out his red kimono made from the hair of the fire rat. Yori knew it would keep Izayoi and the baby safe from the flames. In the space of a few seconds she took in all the things he wasn't telling her. She finally noticed the blood dripping from his kimono and the dark cloud of death she felt coming from his body. He didn't plan on surviving this battle.

Yori pushed her feelings down into her heart, just like she did with Sesshomaru, and turning to Izayoi, placed the red kimono over the new mother's head. "Let's go."

The older woman nodded, "Yes."

Inu no Taisho unsheathed Sō'unga, brandishing the blade to keep Takemaru at a distance. "The child's name is Inuyasha."

"Inuyasha." The women echoed the name with a cautious hope.

"And Yori…" The Lord of the West glanced at his adopted daughter, a flash of pride in his sharp yellow eyes. "Take care of them, all of them."

Yori gave him a sharp nod before glancing at her bonded spirits. "Kage, get them out of here. Now!" Izayoi mounted the black wolf with the baby and they bounded out of the castle and into the forest beyond, Akira close on their heels.

With one last look Yori followed them, vowing to take care of her new family, as the castle and the Great Lord of the West went up in flames.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for reading this far everyone. I have two choices now. I can continue with the back story of Inuyasha, Yori, and Sesshomaru's relationship or I can jump forward in time and do multiple flashbacks during the story. Let me know your thoughts.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

"Inuyasha, look at these!"

The small silver haired child with dog ears and a red kimono scampered through the flowers at the edge of the stream to see what his big sister had found. He peered over the grassy edge and into the water, smiling at the swirling silver fish at Yori's feet.

"They're so big!" He looked up, his face hopeful. "Can we catch them?"

"Well…I don't know…" Yori pretended to deliberate. "Only the biggest and strongest warriors can catch these fish."

He jumped to his feet, "I can do it!"

Yori laughed and held out her hands to help Inuyasha into the shallow stream. "Ok. Ok. Let me show you what to do."

Izayoi watched the siblings with equal parts happiness and dread. Inuyasha's lineage was clear at first glance and the residents of her new home were quick to alienate him. The only happiness he seemed to find was in the visits with Yori every few days. She often showed up without warning, her work defeating demons and keeping peace in the west meant she stayed busy. Izayoi didn't hold it against her. One of Yori's bonded spirits would check on them every few days to be sure that mother and child were safe. However, recently, the visits were becoming less and less frequent. When she did visit, Izayoi noticed the dark circles and the slight slump to her shoulders. In the years after Inu no Taisho's death, Yori's strength was evident. Izayoi couldn't remember ever seeing the young woman cry or show fear. Now, when Inuyasha wasn't looking, Yori's smile would droop and years of sadness became visible on the planes of her face. Something was wrong with Yori and Izayoi hoped that it was only temporary.

"Mother look!" Inuyasha came runnning out of the stream, kimono dripping wet, a fish wriggling in his hands. "Look what I caught! Yori showed me!"

Izayoi softly stroked her son's hair. "Well done. Come rest now, then we can go back home."

"Ok!" Inuyasha ran to cuddle with his mother under the large oak by the stream. Izayoi let him curl up in her lap as she watched Yori trudged toward them, the bottom of her kimono heavy with water. She plopped down next to them with an exhausted sigh and gazed up at the leaves as the sunlight danced between them. Izayoi closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the peace of the moment. Her beloved would have enjoyed a day like this, a day where all the people he cared for were safe and happy. Her son shifted slightly on her lap as he slept.

"Izayoi?" Yori's voice was quiet like the rustle of leaves.

"Yes?"

"…I think I'm dying…"

The silence that followed Yori's declaration was as dark as the day was bright. Inuyasha's gentle breathing was the only way Izayoi knew that the silence didn't last forever.

The older woman placed a protective hand on her son and yearned to place a hand on her almost-daughter. "Do what you need to do."

* * *

Yori watched mother and son from her place in the trees. The shadow of the oak obscured their faces, but she took comfort from their peacefulness, from the love that emanated from them like light from a sun.

 _Go. We'll be ok. He would want you to do everything you could._

Izayoi's words were a balm to Yori's frayed nerves. She held them close and hoped that the older woman was right and that everything could be fixed. Yori turned her back on the scene and took off into the forest. She was on a mission.

Over the past year, Yori could feel her power draining away. She was still stronger than any demon but each battle was harder than the last. In the last fight she was barely able to summon Akira. Summoning took power and focus, while maintaining a summons required energy that Yori no longer had. As her power diminished she became worried she wouldn't be able to protect Izayoi and Inuyasha. She wouldn't be able to keep her promise to Inu no Taisho. Some days that promise felt like all that held her together. That and seeing Inuyasha smile.

Since her mentor's death, Yori avoided anything that could be a reminder of him. Especially, Sesshomaru. He was so much like his father, down to sharp glint in his gold eyes. They hadn't spoken in the five years since his father's death, which bothered him little, and her more than she liked to think about. Unfortunately, their long separation was about to be over.

Her plan to get her power back required more strength than she had. There was only one being who had the ability to defeat her, the ability to make her plan work.

Sesshomaru.


	8. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:**

Hey Everyone! Thanks for reading so far. We are at the true beginning of our Sesshomaru x Yori relationship. I'm probably going to switch between their POVs as the journey continues. Let me know who you guys like speaking more. Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 7:**

The Heir to the West scowled at the sunset as if it offended him. The way the light faded, disappearing into the ocean, turned the world blood red and Sesshomaru let himself be engulfed by it. He looked down at his father's pathetic sword and played with the idea of throwing it into the sanguine sea. He remembered the day his father handed him the useless thing.

"Take it." Inu no Taisho said, holding out the Tenseiga.

Sesshomaru forced himself to not rush toward the shining blade. It pulsed with a life all its own, calling him to his destiny. Or so he thought.

He didn't realize until later, until he tried to cut down a demon in his way, that his father hadn't really given him what he wanted. The night of Inu no Taisho's death, Sesshomaru confronted his father. The smell of blood permeated the air from Lord of the West's open wounds. He'd just finished his battle with Ryūkotsusei and Sesshomaru had been able to intercept him on his way back to his human pet.

"My ultimate goal is to create an empire in the west. I must surpass you in order to reach my goal of supreme conquest." Sesshomaru tossed the Tenseiga onto the ground between them. "I cannot conquer if my blade cannot kill."

Inu no Taisho glared at his son and their matching gold eyes battled for control. He picked up the sword and placed it back on his belt "Supreme Conquest? And how do you think to achieve that when you can't even recognize the ability in this blade?"

Sesshomaru could barely contain his frustration. His father mocked his goals and would never recognize his strength.

"All you think of is power." Inu no Taisho chided. "Is there nothing else you value?"

"There is nothing else."

The older demon shook his head, "Then you cannot wield any other sword."

"You have no ambition!" Sesshomaru snapped, "You spend all your time mooning over that human and your half-god pet! Even now, you're going to them when…" He glared pointedly at his father's arm as it dripped blood on the ground.

"When you have someone to protect, you will understand."

"I don't want someone to protect."

Inu no Taisho watched his son, "Then you'll have to kill me before you will get these swords."

Sesshomaru never expected for those words to his father to be his last. Staring at the ocean, holding his father's useless sword, for a moment Sesshomaru let himself doubt his ambitions. What should his next move be? Without Tessaiga or Sō'unga he couldn't kill, let alone conquer. He needed to get those swords. As the sun set, Sesshomaru let go of his grip on Tenseiga.

The shadows around him grew deeper as the light faded. When darkness covered everything, Sesshomaru felt a new presence in the area. The scent was familiar, it cut through the salt of the ocean and encircled him in the smell of lavender. It brought back memories of fights and anger and awe. A small part of him hoped to never smell that scent again. A larger part, larger than he'd like to admit, had missed it.

"What do you want, Yori?" Sesshomaru asked the shadows.

"Don't sound so happy to see me." He could hear the smile in her voice. Like the moon peeking out from behind the clouds, she sauntered over to his side and the darkness receded, leaving him alone to bask in her light. Her hair trailed down her back and was so dark it seemed to merge with the surrounding shadows. Yori didn't look him in the eye, she only shared his space as the moon ascended into the sky.

"How are you?"

Sesshomaru didn't lower himself to answer. His health was none of her concern.

Yori continued to gode him. "Too good to speak to me now?

He said nothing again, letting the silence speak for him. Of course he was too good to converse with her. Before Inu no Taisho's death, Sesshomaru needed her. His father was hard to track and even harder to speak to. Yori was accessible and, at the time, slightly more enjoyable to talk to than his father's demonic minions. He'd been better than her then and he was still better than her now.

A warm sensation shot through his body and he baulked at Yori's hand on his forearm. Sesshomaru released his claws and growled a warning. "How dare you!"

She didn't flinch away from his fierce expression. Yori's grip on his arm tightened and she extended her own claws into his alabaster skin. "I need your help."


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

Yori used all her strength to hold on to Sesshomaru's arm. His scowl didn't bother her, but she could feel her head getting foggy with fatigue. She'd misjudged the distance to get to him. Yori knew she'd pushed herself too hard and she needed all her power to stay on her feet. She latched on with her claws, ignoring how the smell of him made her head spin, and snarled.

"If you help me I'll give you all the information I have on Tessaiga."

Sesshomaru's glare immediately disintegrated and he eyed her quizzically. "What do you know about my father's sword?"

Yori snorted, "Who do you think carried out his dying wishes?" She let go of his arm and stared at the ocean. "I hid both swords on his orders."

She felt his stare boring into the side of her face, as if he wanted to dissect her to find out how she worked. "Those swords are my birth right."

"Apparently not. That sword," She nodded at the Tenseiga on his belt, "Is the one you were given. And, judging by the pouty look on your face when I got here, you still don't know how to make it work."

He huffed. "I have no reason to trust your information. "

"Do you have any better options?" Yori let the breeze wash away the cloud of his scent that threatened to make her do something unbearably stupid. Maybe coming to him was a bad idea. Sesshomaru hated weakness and non-demons. At the moment she was both those things and Yori no longer had the power to make him listen.

"Why did he trust you?" Years of confusion and frustration with the Inu no Taisho were evident in Sesshomaru's question. "I am his son. Why did he deny me my right?!"

Sesshomaru's growl was her only warning before Yori saw his poison claws coming at her face. Her reflexes weren't what they used to be and the easy maneuvers that used to feel like dancing, now felt like trudging through quick sand. She couldn't make her legs move fastest enough and Sesshomaru's claws were aimed at her neck. At the last second she grabbed on his wrist and used the last of her strength to stop his assault. The muscles in her arms screamed and as the poison on his hand made contact with her skin, she winced against the pain. No healing factor to help her now. Yori gritted her teeth and pushed against what felt like an immovable wall boring down on her. Sesshomaru was definitely his father's son. Even if she had all her powers back, Yori wasn't sure who would win if Sesshomaru truly decided to kill her. Ironically, without his help, she wouldn't live long enough to even test her strength against his.

Abruptly, his claws stopped at her neck, the tips barely scratching her skin, stinging her flesh but not penetrating. Yori couldn't tell if she'd stopped him or if he'd simply paused. For the sake of her pride she chose to believe the former.

Like a snake recoiling, Sesshomaru retracted his arm but continued to watch her, his gold eyes cool and unfeeling.

Yori yawned, and sat down in the grass, attempting to give her frayed nerves a break. "You have a habit of trying to kill me."

"You have a habit of irritating me." He paused. "You've become weak."

Yori tried to not flinch at the judgment in his words. Sesshomaru despised weakness and Yori hated that she could lose his respect (not that she'd ever had it) over something she couldn't change.

She nodded. "Yeah. It started a few years ago. At first I thought it was just my moon phase changes but it just got worse. Now…" She fingered the blades at her waist, "I can't even summon my spirits. I think I'm dying."

Sesshomaru looked at Yori for a long moment, then turned his back and began walking away. "Go home."

Yori scrambled to her feet, completely surprised by his dismissal. "What?"

"You're irritating, and your problems are your own. I want no part in them."

Hurt welled in her chest but it was accompanied by a fresh rage that Yori latched onto for dear life. "I tell you I'm dying and you're going to walk away!"

The sound of his continued footsteps was answer enough.

Yori's temper flared, "I'm the only person who knows the way to find Tessaiga! Without me you will never conquer anything!"

Sesshomaru paused and a small part of Yori hoped he would keep walking. Her nerves were shot and she refused to let the hurt from his dismissal get to her, but she wasn't sure how long she could be around him and not fall apart. Yori already felt like something a yokai ate for breakfast, she didn't need her heart aching every second of every day. While she was with him, that pain was assured.

He turned around to face her. "What do you want from me?"

Yori pushed her anger down, "I need to get to Mount Hakurei. Since my powers are almost gone I can't fight the demons that will be on the way. I need your help. "

"Why Mount Hakurei?"

"There's something that I need in there. It's the key to my powers." Yori didn't want to say anymore. No one in the mortal realm knew about the source of her power and she liked to keep it that way. Killing demons for a living meant she had many enemies.

"You want me to protect you."

She nodded, holding her breath. Would he say yes?

"I'm not a guard dog." He growled.

"I know but I wouldn't ask if I had any other choice." Yori looked at the ground then, before she could think about it for too long, fell to her knees in a dogeza. "Please Sesshomaru. I can't do this without you."

There was silence, then she could hear his footsteps as he started walking. Her heart sank. What was she going to do? Then his voice carried on the breeze and she sat up with a start.

"Let's go. We're wasting time."

Yori tried not to let the happiness overwhelm her. She allowed herself a small smile as she followed him into the forest. Her weakness temporarily forgotten under the moon as she began her journey with the man she hated to love.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Thanks again to everyone who's reading my story. I really appreciate all the feedback I've been getting and I'll try to keep everyone's comments in mind when I'm writing. Also, thanks for sticking with me through the FanFiction review glitch. I know it was probably frustrating for you guys. I was finally able to see all your recent reviews and I replied to everyone.

Please let me know your thoughts on this recent chapter in the reviews or in a message.

Happy Reading!


	10. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:**

Hey guys! Sorry it took me so long to update but I finally got a chance to start writing again and I wanted to play with these characters. I have absolutely no idea how the story is gonna play out so let me know what you think in a message or a review. Thanks! Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 9:**

Their journey began as journey's often do. The difference was that the demon and the demi-god traveled in silence. They moved through the forests, avoiding the main roads and stopping only so that Yori could eat and rest.

In the beginning she would attempt to let him know when she grew tired or needed to eat but Yori quickly learned that Sesshomaru cared very little about her or her needs.

"This is a waste of time." He growled while Yori made the beginnings of a small fire.

"Well go if you don't want to be here! I need sleep not your bad attitude." She said, shooing him away, and hoped for some relief from the constant ache that plagued her heart when he was around.

Sesshomaru looked at her like he couldn't decide whether or not to squish her into pulp before sauntering off into the forest, his fur and a cloud of cloying sweet scent trailing behind him.

Eventually, after the initial twinge of hurt wore off, Yori took to simply stopping and setting up a camp for herself, and letting Sesshomaru keep walking on without her.

Yori figured that once he realized that he'd left her behind, he'd decide to come back when he was ready.

Sure enough, every morning, after Yori woke up in her small makeshift camps, Sesshomaru was perched next to a nearby tree, or boulder, impatiently waiting for the journey to continue.

Yori wasn't particularly surprised by the pattern they found themselves in. She'd forced him into the expedition and Sesshomaru was never much of a talker. And Yori knew that putting herself near him for so long, to endure the sharp looks and irritated growls, which both made her heart sore and sing, was the the price to pay for keeping her promise to the Inu no Taisho.

But she'd hoped. Oh she'd hoped with everything she had that maybe things would have been different. Maybe he could… Maybe he would...Maybe...

Yori hoped. Which, for her, was a dangerous past time when she loved a demon.

* * *

"The Mountains are this way."

Yori rolled her eyes and for the third time said, "Mt. Hakurei is this way." She pointed in the opposite direction of Sesshomaru, toward the green rolling foothills.

Sesshomaru glared, equally as frustrated, "There are no mountains there."

"Good thing we aren't looking for more than one mountain then."

Yori gave a defiant toss of her midnight hair as she headed her way, leaving Sesshomaru behind on the road. He could rot for all she cared. Whose power were they trying to recover anyway?

Suddenly he was there, walking beside her, silent contempt radiating off him in waves. His scent wafted back toward her, massaging the edges of her anger until it went from a snarling wolf to a whimpering puppy.

"What aren't you telling me?" Sesshomaru said as he kept pace with her.

Yori forced her eyes to stay forward, "Guard dogs don't ask questions."

She smelled the acid before she felt his claws on her skin.

"We really need to work out a better way for you to communicate." Yori wheezed as Sesshomaru's claws dug into her neck.

In some strange way, Yori was happy that he was showing any emotion at all. His anger, although it left physical scars, made a small part of her glow with warmth. He was touching her and the hope she felt earlier sent her heart racing.

Sesshomaru gave no indication that the woman in his grip meant anything to him. He squeezed harder.

"Just keep your end of the bargain." He growled and released her. Yori crumpled to the ground, choking on air.

Sesshomaru looked at her for a long moment before turning and walking toward the foothills. "Get up." he said.

Curled in on herself in the grass,Yori found that she never thought she'd miss her power more than right then. She wanted to make him bleed, she wanted to make him beg, she wanted to make him love her. But all those things were beyond her now. Even the soft feeling of Kage's fur under her hands and Akira's sarcastic comments in her ears were almost distant memories.

Yori needed her power back and she would get it. Even if it meant enduring the abuse of the Inu no Taisho's son.

She could almost hear her Lord's voice, counseling her from his place in the otherworld.

" _Patience, Yori. He needs to be pushed but slowly. He can be great one day. When he learns how to love. Help him."_

Yori snorted quietly to herself and breathed easier as she found her footing again.

 _I don't think this is what you meant, milord._ She thought as she followed the young Lord of the West deeper into hills.


	11. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! I think I'm going to make the chapters a little smaller so that I can post everyday. Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

Yori shifted in her sleep and let out a soft snore. The waxing moon cast an eerie light in the small clearing that she'd chosen for her camp and the smoke from the slowly dying fire traveled toward the stars as Sesshomaru sat quietly watching the world from his place under a tree..

For hours, he watched the rise and fall of Yori's chest and tracked the movements of the moon and stars as they traveled through the night sky.

He never thought he would find a woman sleeping so irritating.

Everything was peaceful, quiet, and comfortable.

Which made Sesshomaru even more irritated.

Sesshomaru never truly enjoyed solitude but he never enjoyed company either. He just existed, feeling nothing as he moved through the world toward his goals. His ambitions were what he lived for. It was his birthright to be Lord of the West and conquer his father's lands and others like them.

Companions were expendable, obstacles to that goal.

Unfortunately, in order to achieve his goals, he was forced to travel with one of the most infuriating beings in all three worlds. Sesshomaru was surprised that he hadn't killed her already.

His fingers often itched when they were close and he couldn't tell whether it was an itch to choke her or to touch her. Choking often covered both so it was the one he opted for more often than not.

And it was a strange want, one of many strange wants he'd begun to experience. He began to notice things, puzzle over Yori's behaviour and sometimes worry about her when she was out of sight.

It was extremely irritating.

Her face would appear in his mind's eye when he rested and he found that he constantly listened for the sound of her breathing as they walked, every hitch in her breath making him pause.

Sesshomaru still wasn't sure why. He'd never been around another being for so long before, aside from maybe his mother and she was her own kind of irritating.

Yori was slowly becoming a fixture in his world, a constant presence that radiated power and comfort. Sesshomaru could easily see why his father kept the young demi-god around.

Even in sleep, a light, soft and gentle like the glow of the moon, enveloped everything around her making the world feel bright and new. Without her true power, she was frail and delicate during the day. At night, Sesshomaru could almost see what she looked like at her best. When she slept, her face lost the lines of fatigue and worry, replaced by a calm smile.

Sesshomaru enjoyed her smile, more than he would admit to himself or to Yori.

The sky began to grey as the sun peeked over the trees.

Sesshomaru stood. "Get up." He said and began walking toward their destination, leaving a sleepy and disheveled Yori behind him.

She waved him off, yawning. "Don't worry about me, I'm just the slowly dying woman who's the only person who can get you your swords. Just go ahead leave me here, I'll catch up eventually."

Sesshomaru gritted his teeth at her tone, but slowed his steps slightly. He did want those swords, after all.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

"Demon!" A scream rang out over the hills disturbing the quiet morning air.

Yori paused to sniff at the air and watched the trees warily, waiting for what she knew was coming.

Sesshomaru didn't stop, he didn't even so much as glance in the direction of the sound.

Single minded and determined as always.

"I'll catch up in a bit." She tossed the words at him, distracted by the smells and sounds she could sense just beyond the trees.

Then a disheveled villager stumbled through the underbrush at a full sprint.

When she saw Yori, she screamed again, her face full of terror, and swung the long farming tool in her hand at Yori's chest. Yori was just barely able to dodge the woman's swing but still rolled away with a gash on the side of her body.

Not so long ago Yori would have laughed such a blow off as a minor scrape. Now, she felt the opening burn like a line of fire down her side. Her reserves of power welled up to help heal her and close the wound but it took a lot out of her.

The woman stood in front of Yori, her whole body shaking. The farming tool dropped from her hands as she stared at the blood pooling in the ground under Yori's feet.

"It's alright." Yori spoke softly to the frightened woman, as if she were trying to coax a deer from hiding, " I won't hurt you. What's your name?"

"Kyoko." She whispered, her voice was fragile and broken from screaming.

Yori could feel her wound begin to heal, and tried to slowly get to her feet. "Kyoko? That's a beautiful name. Can you tell me why you were running?"

The sheer terror returned to Kyoko's face, and she clutched at herself as if she were to trying to keep from falling apart.

"The demons came. I've never seen so many at one time before. All over the valley they were tearing down the houses when I ran."

Tears streamed down her face, " I'm such a coward. My family..." the tears flowed faster.

Yori watched the young human as her side healed up the last few bits. She felt it when the wound sealed and the pain went from a burning to a dull ache.

Yori stretched with her arms over her head, feeling for changes in her side. She glanced back to where Sesshomaru had been and wasn't surprised to find the space empty.

Shaking her head Yori sighed, " I guess it can't be helped."

For years she'd handled cases like this, demon attacks were common but without the Inu no Taisho around, the tenuous peace that he'd enforced was coming down around her ears.

Yori had spent the better part of 5 years reminding the lesser demons who was the true ruler of these lands. Sesshomaru was single -minded about his ambitions and refused to think of the responsibility he held as the new Lord of the West.

His lack commitment to one of the less glamorous tasks of his station, was frustrating to say the least.

Unfortunately, Yori couldn't leave the woman crying in the forest with her village burning less than a mile away. Fortunately, Yori enjoyed the idea of taking out her frustrations with the young Lord of the West, on a valley full of meddlesome demons.

She sniffed the young woman carefully so she'd be able to find her again. "Stay here. I'll come get you when the demons are gone."

Yori unsheathed her wakizashi and the light filtering through the trees danced off the short blade. She couldn't summon Akira but she could draw on his strength and speed during battle. Kage wasn't fond of humans so Yori knew her katana would be very little help now.

Kyoko's tears stopped momentarily, "What are you going to do?" her words were laced with an air of disbelief. How could a young woman (as unearthly as she appeared) fight demons?

Yori glanced at the human woman then grinned, showing her sharp fangs .

"I'm gonna have a little fun."


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

Sesshomaru scented blood on the air. The normal forest scents were obscured by a blanket of death and smoke that clouded his senses.

Sesshomaru glanced behind him and sighed.

He didn't really expect Yori to ignore the screams and smoke coming from the west. It was an annoying trait she picked up for his father. Her abnormal love of humans was something Sesshomaru detested but also,strangely, expected.

She was...kind.

Sesshomaru preferred to use the word naive but over the past few weeks Yori had insisted that her willingness to help those less than her was preferred trait.

This was something Sesshomaru couldn't understand. Going out of ones way to shelter and protect the weak seemed like a waste of time.

"What do you call helping me then?"

Yori would say, the light from her camp fire dancing over her face.

" A means to an end." He'd say and Yori would shake her head sadly.

It was just as true now as it was then.

Sesshomaru didn't come with her on this journey for some ridiculous idea like kindness. If she died he had no hope of getting the Tessaiga and Sō'unga.

It was simple really. Laughably, so.

But regardless of his feelings on the matter Sesshomaru knew he'd be forced to protect humans in order to keep her alive.

He turned toward the sounds of death and hoped Yori's current distraction wouldn't delay then too long.

The woman was almost becoming more trouble that she was worth.

Almost.

* * *

Yori stood in the village center surrounded by burning houses and covered in blood. Her wakizashi shone red in the fading afternoon light and her dark hair flowed loose behind her.

She was locked in a fight with a giant bug-like demon, its long mandibles snapping at her limbs as she dodged around the open area.

Even without her true power Yori was still much stronger than any human or lesser demon. Her grace and power as she fought were awe inspiring.

Huddled like insects behind her were the humans of the village.

Sesshomaru sneered at them as he passed. Why she wanted to save such pitiful creatures was beyond him, but he had to deal with the task at hand.

Sesshomaru opened his senses and without blinking, he jumped and used his poison claws to slice the lesser demon in half.

He landed back on the ground and was greeted by an exasperated Yori as he shook the blood from his claws.

"Hey! I had that one!"

Yori's face was a mix of annoyance and appreciation. Sesshomaru ignored her irritation and inspected her. He was pleased to see she was relatively unharmed, underneath all the blood and dirt. Sesshomaru told himself that his feelings of relief were because of his impatience to move on, and had nothing to do with her actual well being.

In order to hide his confusion with his own feelings, he glared at Yori. "This was foolish." He gestured at the multitude of demon corpses strewn across the village. The fires were dying down in the surrounding homes, and the remaining charred frames looked fragile enough to be reduced to piles of ash by the next strong wind.

Yori looked unconcerned, brushing the blood and grime from her arms, "I couldn't just leave them. They needed my help." She glared back at him, eyes glinting. "Why are you here anyway? I would have caught up."

Sesshomaru didn't feel like explaining himself to her, partially because he could barely explain it to himself.

He ignored her and started to head out of the village. "We're leaving."

"What?"

Yori rushed to block his path, "We can't leave these people!"

"Yes, we can."

She shook her head, "How are they supposed to rebuild without our help?"

Sesshomaru gave her a look that effectively said he didn't particularly care if the humans lived or died.

"Fine." Yori ran back to the center of the village. "I'll help them without you."

Yori sat down in the dirt and before Sesshomaru could talk her out of it, she began to glow.

The light radiated off her and pulsed around her body like living armor. It purified her, evaporating all the grime from her skin and hair, making her as pristine as the day she left heaven.

The light expanded out past Yori's body, slowly forming a dome around the village. As it grew, it purified the land, eliminating the blood and corpses littering the ground.

When the light reached him, Sesshomaru watched it bend around his form felt a force push against his chest as if her were being forced out. The feeling lasted only for a moment before he was engulfed and the light moved on.

Once the light reached the edge of the village it stopped and for a final second everything was bathed in moonlight and then...nothing.

Sesshomaru blinked, moderately surprised by Yori's capabilities. Wasn't she supposed to be dying? How could she create a barrier of such power?

Then, Yori was in front of him, her body shaking with exertion. Despite her obvious fatigue, Yori's face was calm and seemed to glow from the inside. She looked up at him and her eyes swam with deep and complicated emotions that Sesshomaru refused to confront.

He turned away.

"No demons should bother you now." Yori spoke behind his back to the humans, who watched them with wary gratitude. "Just stay inside the barrier during an attack."

With Yori's look haunting him, Sesshomaru started walking back on their path. He heard her follow him, and as they passed the trees he heard her collapse.

Yori lay in the grass, her hair fanned out ahead of her like a living shadow waiting to swallow up any passing bystander.

He sighed and picked her up so that he could cradle her against his chest as he walked. Sesshomaru told himself it was because he didn't want to waste anymore time.

He looked down at the exhausted woman in his arms and willed himself to feel irritated, but all he felt was content.

"Foolish woman." He said and sighed again.

Sesshomaru shook his head and walked on as the sun finally set behind the trees.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Reviews are Welcome! Let me know what you think of their relationship progression, and how you like the story as a whole. Thanks for reading!


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:**

Yori dreamed she was surrounded by poison lilies.

Every inch of her body was covered in them, their cloying sweet scent a lure and a warning. Yori knew that from she turned her head, if she welcomed and embraced what the smell of the flowers promised, she'd cease to exist.

But the promise of the lilies was a strong lure. Everything she'd ever wanted was in that scent. Home, family, strength,...even love. But none of it was real.

"Yori, Look what I found!"

Inuyasha's voice called to her through the haze the valley of poison lilies created.

Yori shook off their scent and ran toward his voice.

She'd forgotten. In all the chaos of trying to survive and fighting with Sesshomaru, Yori had forgotten why she'd left Inuyasha in the first place. A wave of guilt swept her away and Inuyasha's voice faded into the dark, leaving Yori alone.

In the dark, Yori watched her memories play like movies. They taunted her with her past sorrows and tried to convince her that she didn't deserve the happiness she'd found.

* * *

An image faded into Yori's mind, lighting up the dark. She could make out the outline of her father and his chambers in heaven.

Moonlight filtered into Tsukuyomi's room and his chest heaved like he'd been exerting himself. He sneered down at the small child on floor, her midnight hair fanned out behind her like a cloak.

"Pathetic little bitch." His voice stung, almost as much as his hand as it connected with young Yori's face.

Her mother told her not to cry so she ignored the throbbing in her cheek and counted the stars out the window.

"I just need you for one thing! One! And you can't even do that properly!" Tsukuyomi paced, his feet making no sound against the wood floors. Suddenly, her father knelt down in front of her, his eyes glittering like stars against a moonless sky.

He painfully pinched her chin in between his fingers, forcing her eyes to meet his and letting her drown in the dark space between the stars.

"I have big plans for you, my little moon. You are the key. My biggest achievement."

He pet her hair and if Yori didn't know her father better she would have thought it was a gesture of tenderness.

"Now," he said after a few strokes of his hand, "hold still and we'll try this again."

He stood up and the moonlight shone like a spotlight on his back encompassing him in a white halo. The light grew until it almost blinded her and then it shot into her chest and all she knew was pain.

Her screams echoed in her ears even as the memory faded in a flash of white light.

* * *

Just as that memory ended another took its place.

"Don't be afraid." The Inu no Taisho, sat across from Yori, in front a small fire. His voice was filled with concern. Yori wanted to believe him, to trust him, but she'd been hurt by powerful men like him before. However, she did find comfort in the fire rat kimono he'd given her. The cloth seemed to absorb and ward off heat all at once, making Yori feel comfortable and safe.

Inu no Taisho shook his head, "I don't even know what to do with you." He sighed, "Maybe there's some way to get Tsukuyomi to reconsider."

Images of blinding moonlight and starry eyes flashed across Yori's mind and she ran to Inu no Taisho's side, her eyes pleading, "Don't send me back!"

Yori's voice shook and her hands trembled where they touched his kimono. The Lord of the West paused, his golden eyes narrowing a he watched the fragile young woman beside him.

Finally he smiled, "No need for all that. I won't force you to go back."

He surveyed her again before his gazed landed on the swords at her hip, "Can you use those?"

She nodded.

"Well then, if I'm supposed to teach you things about this world, thats a good a place as any."

He stood up and Yori followed him with her eyes.

The Lord of the West unsheathed Tessaiga, and settled into a comfortable stance.

"Alright, show me what you can do."

The firelight glinted off of the formidable fang and Yori gazed at the older demon in awe.

Without another word, she stood and drew her sword.

* * *

Another memory pushed its way in, shinning through the darkness with a complicated kind of happiness that Yori had come to know well.

"Yori, you're home!" Inuyasha ran through the rose garden and into Yori's arms.

She hugged her brother tightly to her chest before setting him down for a quick kiss on his forehead. Inuyasha looked more like the Inu no Taisho everyday, and everyday Yori felt the pain of missing him. The ache throbbed persistently in her chest, making it hard to smile at his son. But she managed.

"How are you, milord?" She asked playfully

Inuyasha frowned, " I'm ok, I guess. I tried playing with everyone today, but they ran away."

He was quiet for a moment, and Yori looked over his head at Izayoi, who let a single tear fall from her eyes.

Then Inuyasha's face split into a smile as he looked up at his sister, "But Mother said that you, Akira, and Kage would play with me! Will you?"

Yori felt the sorrow for her Lord's son flutter in her chest, but she found the strength to smile down into his bright gold eyes.

"Of course." and the memory dissolved into nothing leaving Yori alone in the dark, again.

* * *

More memories ran through her mind, as destructive and fleeting as lighting in a storm.

Dinner with Inu no Taisho, games with Inuyasha, Izayoi's smile. Then Sesshomaru's gold eyes, his scowl, his fierce strength and the sound of his voice.

Then images of him fighting, angry, worried, and thinking.

His face when she'd looked at him.

Then his head as he turned away.

It all rushed around her head, turning into a hurricane of love,loss, fear, and happiness.

Yori sat in the middle of it all, battered by her feelings and memories.

Then she heard his voice.

"Yori, wake up."

The hurricane raged on, almost drowning out the sound. Almost.

"Yori!"

She stood up in the dark, pushing back against the and moving toward the voice,toward her life.

"Wake up!"

Sesshomaru's voice shred through her dreams and Yori opened her eyes to the white of his kimono.

Tears streamed down her face.

Sesshomaru didn't stop moving, face impassive as she cried into his chest.

Yori turned her head to inhale the scent of him and let the tears flow.

Sesshomaru said nothing, but pulled her closer to him as he walked into the night.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for being patient with me guys. I wanted a chance to kind of explore Yori as a character and still move the story along. Let me know if some of the symbolism doesn't make sense. I wanted to capture the chaos of dreaming while still making the connections to the main plot clear. I hope you guys enjoy! Reviews are welcomed and encouraged!


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14:**

"Will you put me down already?" Yori asked for the third time. Sesshomaru continued to ignore her. He never broke his stride across the forest floor as he ducked under tree limbs and dodged logs.

"You can't stay silent forever." She growled.

Sesshomaru glanced down at his unwilling charge and was struck by the wave of emotion that her upturned face caused.

 _What is she doing to me?_

Fear stabbed him in the gut, and shocked him into instantly dropping Yori on the ground. He flinched at her yelp of pain but schooled his face to indifference.

"Where's the mountain?" He asked gruffly.

Yori stood and rubbed her butt, attempting to massage out the soreness. Sesshomaru found himself lingering over that part of her body and growled at his own absurdity. She was beneath him. Why was he suddenly noticing things, _feeling_ things? His anger and frustration with his new feelings warred with his growing awareness of Yori, leaving Sesshomaru more volatile and irritable than usually.

Yori glared at him while she stretched, "You didn't have to do that," she huffed.

"Where's the mountain?"

"I mean I know you didn't have to carry me that whole way, but you could have been a little nicer about dropping-"

"Yori…"

She rolled her eyes, "Fine. It should be close...I can smell it."

Yori loped the rest of the way out of the forest, Sesshomaru close on her heels.

As she passed the trees she sniffed, "It's here."

A field of spring grass spread wide over a smalley valley surrounded by hills. The last bit of walking through the forest had taken a few hours meaning the sun dipped behind the hills and cast a light orange glow over the valley. The shadows of twilight seemed to creep over the hills, waiting for the sun to disappear so they could descend and devour the remaining light.

Sesshomaru stood behind Yori and glared at the empty space. "What game is this?"

There was no evidence of their ever being a mountain. Was the entire venture pointless? Had she fooled him? What could she gain from such a trick? While Sesshomaru tried to ferret out her motives, Yori sighed.

"Don't be dense, Sesshomaru. Why would it be easy to see?"

Then, as if she'd practiced her whole life, Yori gathered a small ball of light into her hand and tossed it high into the air toward the valley. It arched across the sky like a shooting star before crashing into an invisible wall in the middle of the air. The impact sent ripples across the invisible wall, distorting the image of the valley and highlighting how the wall covered the entire area.

Seconds later, hairline cracks appeared at the impact site and spread across the surface. The wall shattered like glass, pieces fell away in jagged junks and revealed the looming mountain beneath.

Sesshomaru kept his surprise hidden from his companion who wore a smug look on her face,as Mount Hakurei came into view. The large mountain stood hundreds of feet higher than the hills around it, a lone dark grey rock in a sea of green. It craned toward the sky with lush forests snaking up the mountain's face, and clouds danced around its peak like the veil on a bride.

Other than the forest, no life moved on or near the mountain. As the breeze picked up, Sesshomaru could smell the cold scent wafting from the summit. It reminded him of Yori.

When the last piece of invisible wall fell to earth, Yori flinched. Although she looked smug, her entire body radiated tension, everything in her was ready to fight or flee at the slightest movement.

Sesshomaru wanted to ask. He wanted to remove the worry he could feel coming from her.

When she'd cried in his arms, there were no walls between them, no sarcasm or cold demeanor to hide behind. She'd been completely relaxed, completely open to him. Sesshomaru found he missed that, that feeling that she trusted him above everything. Now, with their journey almost at an end, he'd could feel her pulling away.

But he knew had no right to want things from her, he was the one who'd looked away, who continued to ignore the deeper feelings she stirred in him. The feelings he was not supposed to have. The feelings he wasn't supposed to _want_ to have.

 _All there is to life is power._ He told himself. He'd told his father something similar once. Now...

"Let's go." Yori barked, worry making her brisk and cold, like him.

She dashed forward into the shadow of the mountain and Sesshomaru followed behind her.

 _All there is to life is power._

They fell into step, their breathing in sync as they raced toward their goal. When Yori looked at him, her brown eyes were warm.

 _All there is to life is power._

Sesshomaru wasn't sure if he believed that anymore.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Hey guys! I finally have a ton of material to work with for the next few chapters. Some big things are going to be revealed soon! I'm so excited. I've never stuck with a project this long before and I'm enjoying it. Let me know how you like the progress these two are making. Thanks for reading!

Reviews are welcomed and encouraged!


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15:**

Yori trembled as they stood in front of the cold mountain face. Everything about Mt. Hakurei smelled like Tsukuyomi, the air was thick with his presence and the overwhelming pressure made Yori wanted to turn tail and run.

How could she expect to do this?

Steal from her father? It was a veritable death sentence if he caught her before the ritual was complete and she was already dying anyway. Wouldn't it be better for her just to go back to Inuyasha and spend her final days in the sun listening to his laugh and seeing his smile?

 _Take care of them, all of them._

The Inu no Taisho's final order played through her mind as she stared at the mountain. The Lord of the West had given her a purpose and a direction by accepting her into his family. She was bound to them, through love and duty. Of course she couldn't leave.

She couldn't let her father stop her from protecting them.

Sesshomaru was silent as Yori walked to the nearest wall of stone. His gold eyes inspected her every movement and she tried not to focus on how her body seemed to heat under his gaze. Yori centered her mind on the task at hand and placed her palm gingerly against the jagged rock.

Immediately, she hissed as the barrier repelled her and the skin on her hand began to burn sending the smell of charred flesh into the air.

Sesshomaru jumped forward his hand stretched out as if to pull her away, but Yori glared at him,"No!" She barked, gritting her teeth against the pain. _Come on recognize me! Recognize me!_ After the longest five seconds of her life, the burning eased and it was like a switch flipped. The stone became malleable under her hand, almost like wet sand. She pushed forward, letting her entire hand be engulfed by the stone. _Open!_ She thought, practically shouting at the mountain.

Then suddenly the malleable stone was sucked away into the depths of the rock, leaving a Yori sized hole behind. The opening was pitch black and a chilling breeze blew from inside, practically daring her to enter.

 _What are you going to do little moon?_

Yori took a deep breath and pushed the nightmares into the far corners of her mind. The small of power she had left was enough to heal her but she could do very little else until she got what she came for.

Yori looked to Sesshomaru who stared into the darkness of the hole with intense curiosity. She would need to rely on him to get her through the mountain. Despite everything they'd been through to get there, a small nagging part of her heart expected him to leave. The Heir of the West was not known for his tolerance. Yori was secretly terrified that any request she made of him would be the last straw and he would look at her with his hardened golden eyes and say "Your problems are your own."

It was pathetic how much she needed him, and how much she desperately wanted him to help her, not just for his father's swords, but for her.

"This is your last chance, you know." She said, her gazed trained on the entrance.

"Explain."

Yori smiled, "You know, your last chance to walk away. I'm useless from here on in. I'll need you to keep me alive. Guard dog duty starts now."

Sesshomaru's voice betrayed his irritation, "Was that not the agreement?"

"Yeah, but I figured I'd give you an out." She said, shrugging. Yori was anything but calm but she put on her brave face as they stalked toward the opening. Right before they entered she paused and couldn't help looking up at the Heir to the West.

"Hey, Sesshomaru?"She tried to keep her voice light.

"What?"

 _Will you remember me?_

 _Do I mean anything to you?_

 _Is there anything that means more to you than power?_

 _Do you know that I'm in love with you?_

"Nothing." Yori sighed and stepped into darkness.

* * *

Author Note:

Thank you to everyone for your patience! I tend to go in and out when I write so I'm sorry for the delay, but I hope you guys enjoy this newest installment of Daughter of the Moon. As always reviews are appreciated and encouraged!

Enjoy!


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16:**

One can become accustomed to darkness. Even one such as the Heir to the West who has never truly known real darkness. Real darkness is of a special mold. It leaves no crevice for light to hide in, snuffing out even vague memories of sunlight. It is a kind of darkness that leaves mortals cold and births demons in it's depths. This was the kind of darkness that Sesshomaru found himself in as he walked beside a demi-god into the bowels of a hidden mountain.

Yori seemed unfazed by the almost malevolent shadows that seethed around them. The dark world of Mt. Hakurei welcomed her and it was hard to tell where she ended and the shadows began. The only thing that allowed Sesshomaru to keep his bearings was the soft glow that emanated from Yori's tan skin. She was the only spot of light the darkness could not snuff out and Sesshomaru followed her eagerly as they ventured further into the mountain.

After a time, Yori paused and then brushed a hand out before her as if casting away dust on a table. The shadows quickly retreated to the edges of the cavern, creating a wall of black that spread out on all sides around them in a dome. Within the space a large mass of rolling shadows shifted in the center of the stone floor. Yori flicked her wrist, and sent a small ball of light above them , illuminating the cavern further.

"I never thought I'd see the day when the Tsuki no Hime was associating with dogs."

The voice was a low growl, that moved through the rock and shook Sesshomaru to his bones. At first glance the rolling mass of shadows looked like nothing but as it moved it grew and took the shape of a wolf. It padded forward, many heads taller than even Sesshomaru's true form and stretched out on the rock to gaze at them with eyes the color of midnight skies.

Sesshomaru tensed. This was what Yori asked of him, to fight the great beasts because she could not. He let his power rise, he'd taken down more powerful beings than this. Sesshomaru flexed his claws but paused when he felt a hand on his kimono. For a moment, Sesshomaru marveled at the fact that this woman could restrain him with a mere touch. The thought would have been preposterous, nearly insulting, a month ago but now...He simply allowed himself to relax.

"Hello Yami."Yori's deep brown eyes smiled up at the wolf made of shadows, "I see Tsukuyomi has traded your leash in for a cage."

Yami shook his great head, "Watch your tongue, young one. It may get ripped out when you least expect it. "

Sesshomaru growled at the obvious threat but Both Yori and Yami ignored him.

"Now don't be like that. I already apologized about before." Yori scolded, "As a greater demon shouldn't you be more civilized than the rest of us."

"I never claimed to be more civilized, little moon, just better." The great wolf grinned, his fangs shining a brilliant white in contrast to the inky black of his fur. "So are you and your mutt here to play?"

Yori brushed her hair back from her face the picture of nonchalance, but Sesshomaru could see her hands trembling, "You know, I'm not much for playing these days but I'm sure Sesshomaru can entertain you."

There was a beat of silence as Yami's midnight eyes inspected the Daughter of the Moon. The playful atmosphere diminished at the shadows pressed in closer, making Sesshomaru acutely aware of how small they really were compared to the Great Wolf Demon.

"It's progressed that far then." Yami's deep rumbled held a note of regret. "You know I can't hold back. For the sake of my people, I can't just let you pass."

Yori nodded, "I know"

Then Yami's dark ancient eyes turned on Sesshomaru, calculating, assessing, judging. Sesshomaru had never known what it was like to feel insignificant. But under the Great Wolf Demon's gaze he felt small, unimportant, and lacking.

Definitely a new feeling for the Heir of the West.

Yami stood up in the large stone cavern, his massive paws sending small shock waves into the earth. "Let's see how strong this pet of yours is, little moon." He chuckled and let out a piercing howl that rattled the mountain and called down the shadows to engulf the cavern in darkness.

This time the only light Sesshomaru could see was the glow from Yami's eyes as the Great Wolf Demon prowled closer.

* * *

Author's Note:

There are a lot of character's that are gonna be showing up in the next few chapters. Let me know what you think and the questions you think should be answered in the next few installments! As always reviews are encouraged and appreciated!

Thanks for Reading!


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17:**

Yami, the Great Wolf King of the North, stalked toward Sesshomaru, his eyes glittering with amusement and just a little bit of envy as he watched the young dog pup glare at him.

Yami had a soft spot for pups, evidenced by his delicate handling of Yori throughout all her years with Tsukuyomi. As a child, after her father's frequent "experiments", she'd rush from the castle, feeling choked on light and seeking the sweet oblivion of darkness. That's where Yami found her, hiding in the forgotten shadows of her father's realm, trying to disappear. He was free, then, the Great Wolf King of the North, leader of his pack and commander of the shadows that seethed like a sea around Tsukuyomi's castle.

He loomed over her, midnight eyes assessing the small creature that had stumble into the path of his pack.

"What are you doing here, daughter of the moon, have you grown tired of playing in the light?" He chuckled and curled his lips back from his fangs in a cruel smile.

Rather than show fear, young Yori growled at the great demon. After countless hours of her father's torture, she no longer feared the dark.

Yami found the young moon pup amusing and the steel in her eyes concerning in one so small. He took her in, and she became his little moon, the light in the darkness.

Over the years she learned to run with the pack, to embrace the darkness that had become her sanctuary and use it as a weapon. Now, all she could do was sit back as Sesshomaru battled her long time friend and protector.

Yami was a ghost in the dark, swimming through his shadows with an ease meant to terrify. Yori thanked the stars that Sesshomaru's vision was not poor . She watched the Heir to the west track Yami's movements with his eyes, the sharp gold glinting in the blackness.

Yami's voice rumbled, the deep sound traveling through the stones of the cave, "Ahh, I can see it now, you're His brat aren't you?"

Sesshomaru tensed but stayed silent.

"Never imagined I'd be fighting one of his brood." Yami sniffed, " You don't smell anything like him...the hair gives you away...too damn bright."

" You know nothing about my father." Sesshomaru growled.

Yami laughed, "What an age it is, when the moon shackles the darkness and pups think they know more than their elders!" His contempt was evident, " I was battling your father before you were even a whisper of a thought." Yami lashed out a dark claw toward Sesshomaru's face. The Heir to the West danced backward, narrowly avoiding the attack. Yami's great head snarled from the shadows, teeth gleaming. "Show some respect!"

The Great Wolf King of the North barreled forward out of the dark, his body massive and imposing as he rushed Sesshomaru. He snapped at the other demon with his teeth, going for Sesshomaru's head.

Yori locked her body in place, forcing herself to stay still as a statue. The only part of her that moved was her eyes. They followed the battle with a fevered intensity.

 _Please stay safe_ she prayed. She wasn't sure to whom…

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Hi Everyone! I'm finally getting the chance to play around with these characters again. Let me know your thoughts. As always, reviews are encouraged and appreciated.


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